


A World Without You

by MissPerla09



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Crimes & Criminals, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Gen, demotion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29063574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissPerla09/pseuds/MissPerla09
Summary: Enforcer Ginoza & Inspector Shimotsuki… A series of cruel twists turned his life upside down. Dealing with her friends’ death had caused her to despise latent criminals. He gave up on those who did not want to be kept. She held her principle close to her heart. Yet, it turned out that this was just a beginning for a blooming soft spot.Enforcer Kougami & Inspector Tsunemori… Makishima’s crime was first step for him to be the outcast of the society. She was blessed and cursed with a clear Psycho-Pass. In contrast to his continuous downfall, how close they had become was the only bright side.In the midst of Makishima Shogo’s inhumanity, this was the story of their shared fates; protecting what were precious and fighting what stood in their ways. For sure, one did not want to imagine the world without their partner.DISCLAIMER: I don’t own Psycho-Pass in any shape or form.
Relationships: Ginoza Nobuchika/Shimotsuki Mika, Kougami Shinya/Tsunemori Akane
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, guys! This is my first fanfiction for this fandom. I have watched and forgot about this anime for a long time but one day, when I was lazing during my day off, I was scrolling the list of anime series and that’s when I binged on watching this anime again. I ended up too attached with Gino and his character development (that was unexpected since I was a fan of Kougami) so ideas for Psycho-pass fanfictions naturally came up. Just to clarify; the plot for this story is mainly taken from season 1 but there will be differences and might be taken from other seasons and the movie as well. You will see what are the differences the moment you read this chapter. Last but not least, English is not my first language so I am sorry for any mistake ><

**He** should know it from the moment she said she could get along with the enforcers.

He should know it the moment he arrogantly said that the wise should learn from history while the fools would learn from their experiences.

Because at the end of the day, it was him who had his hue turned too cloudy to the point of it could not recover. It was him who turned out to be the fool who learned from his experiences with the worst way possible.

What could be worst than the fact that your own father who you spent your whole youth by hating him, turned out to be your saviour before he let out a last breath?

Just like Matsuoka Tomomi said, Ginoza was his son before he was his inspector. It was bound for the veteran to prioritize his son’s life first before obeying his inspector’s order to catch Makishima. With a smile on his dead body, dying for his only son was the best moment ever for him.

But not for the son, Ginoza.

* * *

**He** still remembered the moment clearly even whenever his mind dared to recall the day, the alarm in his ward would be deafening, notifying all the therapists that his Psycho-Pass was in danger.

That the last memory of his father had always driven him insane.

Which was insulting since Masaoka’s sacrifice for him was supposed to be the stepping stone for him to live his new life and move on. It was unfolded from how desperate the old man was as he protected Ginoza until his last breath.

“Sorry, Gino-san. We lost that Makishima,” Kagari had to inform the bad news from his communicator in a situation like this. As if the fact that Kougami and Kagari suddenly saw the glimpse of Makishima and immediately stormed out of their sight was not unpleasant enough.

“What? What the hell are you doing!? You ran out of our sight so sudden and that’s what you had to inform us!?” he said. His voice echoed in the laboratory.

“Look, we’re trying, Gino-san! It’s not like we ran because we wanted to escape…”

“No matter what, you guys are still latent criminals! I have to take the precautions so that…”

“Hey, Nobuchika. Calm down, won’t you?” Masaoka rested his hand on Ginoza’s shoulder but was immediately dodged. Instead, Ginoza’s green eyes were still piercing Kagari’s from the communicator. His anger was tested more when there was no sign of apology from the enforcer for acting recklessly without his approval.

Instead, Kagari was staring back at him. With how tight and straight-lined his lip turned into, he mentally challenging Ginoza to insult him directly instead of using textbook words to conceal the fact that he always looked down on latent criminals. 

“Come back to us this instant!”

“Ginoza-san…”

He lifted his head from the communicator, only to find a certain pair of stern brown eyes stared at him with disapproval. Akane’s face and whole demeanour were generally not intimidating on daily basis but with how soft but determined her voice was and the way she was standing on her spot while holding a dominator, she looked like a different person.

“I always respect you as my senior. I know you want to avoid problems at any cost but for the time being, let’s solely focus on catching Makishima Shogo alive or dead. I believe Kougami-san and Kagari-kun genuinely want to catch him too and not because they want to escape. If anything happens, I will fully take the responsibility had they done something illegal.”

He froze, still holding Akane’s eyes before averting his ashamed gaze to Yayoi and Masaoka. It was just a quick move but he knew them well enough to tell what they were thinking of him.

They were getting sick of his scepticism for Kougami when he and the man had worked together the longest and even started as best friends during their school days. They shared the same thought with Kagari who shot ‘just stop,’ phrase with their respective eyes.

His therapist was right. He should seek therapy as soon as possible instead of being here with them. He claimed that Akane was a rookie inspector who would have a lot on her plate had he chosen to leave temporarily for a treatment but this situation had proved otherwise.

She could manage this situation just fine. None of them needed him here. 

“Let’s split in two. I will inspect the control room. Ginoza-san, please check the university’s lab,” Akane said. This time her voice was calmer which defined her attempt to sooth the tense circumstance a bit and even it was already tense. 

It was unusual but natural. Unlike her innocent and easily flustered demeanor, Akane knew what she was doing this time. She predicted and guessed Makishima’s plans and movements just as precise and sharp as Kougami. Ginoza knew he should focus on the case instead of being petty but he could not help but feeling worried about how each day passed, she had walked more and more into Kougami and Masaoka’s path.

One by one… why people always had to be part of his life temporarily and left as if he had no meaning for them? 

“I will go with Inspector Tsunemori. If we work with Shion at Headquarters via the main security console, we might be able to get access to the security cameras here,” Yayoi supplied.

He knew what to expect when Yayoi and Akane would be together this time.

“Then, we’ll be in charge of chasing that man down, huh?” The playful voice, followed by a teasing look from Masaoka was not amusing at all. Rather, he mentally snorted at the idea of working in a team with an enforcer who had been the reason why his childhood and school life had been upside down if it was not because Kougami who had saved him from the bullies.

Their teams in Division 1 had always been definite. Despite Kagari always whined that he wanted to be in the same team with ‘cutie’ a.k.a Akane which Ginoza could not care less, the enforcer and Yayoi always chased down the criminals with him. The reckless ‘troublemakers’, Kougami and Masaoka would be stuck with Akane which might be wrong of him to split them in such a way because now, the inspector also ended up as reckless as them.

“Hey, no need to make that face. It was the men who have to do the dirty job, you know,” Masaoka made his way to one of the doors which Ginoza had no choices but followed his lead.

* * *

**“I** have a question to ask,” Ginoza declared suddenly when seconds passed but no words were exchanged between him and Masaoka. Eyes were trained to be alert to his surrounding, his hand was holding his weapon tightly but all his ears wanted to listen to was Masaoka’s answers.

“Here and now? What is it?” Masaoka said nonchalantly. 

“Tsunemori being that way… is it because you convinced her to let Kougami and Kagari to do things on their own without an inspector supervising them?”

Even without the hints of Masaoka’s shoulders suddenly froze or the grip around his weapon was tightened, Ginoza knew that his father did not expect him to guess that much.

“Me? Come on, Nobuchika. Cut me some slack. Do you think I don’t have anything better to do other than pushing an idea into an inspector? She’s smart enough to distinguish what are the proper or improper orders for enforcers like us.”

“It’s because that really sounds like you, Enforcer Masaoka,” he said. Almost instantly and simultaneously, they stopped walking, still did not face each other. “You and Tsunemori believe that Kougami was more cut out to catch Makishima since he’s a daredevil who will take the law into his own hands as long as the evil was defeated as a result.”

The answer that he had expected did not escape from Masaoka’s mouth so he decided to push again.

“I see. Kougami is the one who you’re relying to get the job done. You don’t expect anything from me. You believe there is no way I can catch that Makishima, don’t you?”

This time, his words earned a heavy sigh from Masaoka. The enforcer turned to him, a small but unreadable smile spread on his wrinkled face.

“Just so you know, Kougami is a latent criminal as well as an enforcer. He and I are cut from the same cloth so we have nothing to lose had something happened to us. Meanwhile, you’re on a different path than we’re. I truly think that’s for the best. From the bottom of my heart.”

If he could turn back the time, he would cling to Masaoka’s words for his dear life. He would use this moment to patch up with his father. He would spend this moment to ask Masaoka what was that secretive smile for and was he really that thoughtful about him because he was on a different path or because…

He was Masaoka’s son?

He wished he was not that dense and blind at that time to distinguish what Masaoka meant at that time.

But it was too late. Just like how he exclaimed and shouted desperately at Masaoka’s dead body not long after that.

* * *

**_Shit,_ ** _where the hell did he go?_

Kougami looked around as he controlled his anxious breath. his dominator was still in hand, lifted readily just in case Makishima ambushed him from any direction. His lean body felt stuck with his wet shirt but that was obvious that it was not supposed to be his concern right now.

“Dad! Dad!!”

“Gino,” as he exclaimed, his communicator beeped which indicated a call from Kagari.

“Yes, Kagari?”

“Kou-chan, it’s an order from Akane-chan. Put that damn Makishima aside. Shion validated his location right now so come back here this instant! Pops… he is…”

The still shocked Kagari did not have to complete his words. The enforcer did not have to tell him where to come back because he already knew. He immediately turned off the communicator before storming as fast as his legs could carry him.

_Gino… Pops…_

* * *

**_It_** _was too late,_ Akane thought. Failing to comprehend what happened to Masaoka and Ginoza, she almost dropped to her knees but caught by Yayoi who was expected to be much calmer. Eyes widened in horror and despondency while her body getting feeble. The dominator in her hand dropped to the floor, just like how her heart felt to see the scene unfolded before her.

“Gino-san, stop it… You’re injured. We have to treat you first,” Kagari said as he fought the tears that welled up in his eyes. Seeing Masaoka’s damaged body and his smiling face once was more than enough. He did not need to see the dead body anymore. His eyes were forced to look at the inspector who he was mad at a moment ago.

The inspector who could not care less about his broken arm nor Psycho-Pass despite Shion had sent medical drones for him.

It was only for him since they were all just fine. When his body was hit by crates which were set as a part of traps, he knew it instantly.

Makishima Shogo, their target had targeted him and Masaoka from the beginning.

“Gino-san, knock it off, please… Pop is dead…” Kagari held the feeble body back but Gino, who still had the strength to push him aside despite his injury still embraced Masaoka’s still frame.

“Please, Dad… just once… Please…” After hurting his throat for yelling too much, Ginoza was pleading to the man who he always looked down on. He was used to believe that the world did not need latent criminals but now, he was begging one of them to breathe again. More tears streamed down his face; a sight that was so unfamiliar for the rest of them who could only witness his breaking point but they were as upset as him.

Masaoka was like a father figure for them after all. He was way older than them but his skills, personality, experience were something deserved him admiration.

Meanwhile, Kougami who finally reached the space was the only one who had the strength to hold his dominator.

_Gino… his Crime Coefficient…_

Restraining himself from shaking too much, he lifted the dominator.

“Kougami-san…” Akane exclaimed, her pupils which initially dilated quickly sized up at the realization of what Kougami would do.

Aiming at Ginoza, how he wished what he heard was just a delusion.

**Crime Coefficient is 190. An inspector registered at CID. Enforcement mode: Non-lethal Paralyzer.**

_No, it can’t be…_

“It’s better now, Kou-chan,” Kagari said anxiously. “Or else, who knows how high it will reach.”

Kagari was right but…

His numbness was saved by a bright blue light and loud sound of familiar shooting.

And it did not come from his own dominator since he did not even pull the trigger.

Ginoza collapsed right away on Masaoka’s body which sent Kagari and Yayoi to treat him right away.

He dropped down his dominator, eyes still stared at Ginoza’s still body. At this rate, it was bound that everyone had their worry, attention and sight on Ginoza and his father so Kougami let them be. 

After all, he never imagined that this would happen. Their duty as a public servant had trained him to be mentally and physically ready for dangers and all sorts of possibilities but with how cruel Ginoza’s and Masaoka’s states had become, all the training was thrown to the drain.

* * *

**“You** look… thinner.”

Akane shifted her gazes to the two ex-inspectors. One with hesitant but caring demeanour which were always expressed since two months ago from Kougami but…

Just like Kougami had commented, the other man who was separated from them by a glass wall looked like a walking doll. Hands were stiff on his side. His eyes were not only empty but rather, penetrated through both of them.

But it did not mean he did not talk at all.

“What do you want?”

He did talk just to ensure their conversation went as fast as possible. He felt drowsy and dizzy just sitting and seeing both of them doing just fine while he was…

Institutionalized to treat his mental state.

“About the enforcer position for Division 1… Sybil wants you for the position. Ginoza-san, you have the aptitude for it and the rest of us do want to see you work with us again.”

Akane never meant any harm to any person. She was the sweetest person that he had ever met in his life, probably until his death. She was smiling sincerely the whole time while Kougami… the fact that he was hesitating and not being the usual blunt and cheeky him had shown that the man felt sorry for what happened to him and wanted to support him but…

The same thing would happen. This was the third time they visited him and it was also the third time his stress level skyrocketed. It caused the red alarm which alerted the therapists right away.

It was also the third time Akane and Kougami had to leave the institution with despair. No small nor serious talking took place in the inspector’s car as they went back to the headquarters.

Immersing themselves in their own miserable thought was much better at this point.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos, guys! :D

**“Hey,** listen to me seriously,” a short haired-girl exclaimed. Her frame hunched awkwardly at her friend’s table. “Mika!” 

The girl who was sitting at her table, Mika did not really bother to respond at that time because she already had something in her mind rather than wasting her time by being anxious. She already knew what Kagami was going to say anyway so her eyes were busy scanning the notes on her tablet.

“I am, Kagami.”

“I mean Yoshika… she has been absent from school since yesterday. And Masami Yamaguchi too… don’t you think there is definitely…”

“Yes, it’s strange,” Mika said, putting down her tablet before shifting slightly towards Kagami’s direction. “But, still, I doubt they will let us know anything disturbing like that. After all, this school is designated to keep girls in our ages in conservative environment so that we can maintain our Psycho-Pass. Of course, things are also strange with how the new art instructor with his questionable background can work here. I believe there are things that the teachers decided to sweep under the rug. They need to keep up appearances in front of our parents too.”

Mika had always been different. She was opinionated and too sharp for her age. Kagami always ended up learning more about the school’s secrets which Mika knew from who-knows-where.

“That’s… that’s scary,” Kagami exclaimed, straightening her frame. “Mika, you sure know a lot about our school. If you keep talking like that, maybe you should be a detective one day.”

Mika chuckled. “Yeah, maybe I should. Apart from classes, I am too interested in digging deep into this school’s secret,” she said. She ended up sighing heavily as Kagami was still staring at her, hoping for more satisfying answers or guesses. “Oryo Rikako.”

“What?”

“Why don’t you try asking her? Yoshika has always been a big fan of her, right? Maybe she knows something.”

Kagami was contemplating. “Are you sure I should ask her? I mean… she _is_ Oryo Rikako, you know.”

“She’s _just_ Oryo Rikako, Kagami. She’s a student in the same academy with us. It’s not like she’s like a God sending from heaven or something,” Mika said, rolling her eyes at Kagami’s soon-to-be overdramatic reaction. “Honestly, until now I still can’t figure out why she’s so popular.” 

“That’s mean, Mika. Of course, she’s popular. She’s smart, beautiful, has a great personality and…”

“A great personality? You never talk properly with her.”

“Okay, then. I will go and talk to her properly and let you know how she’s a great person and the reason why you should be inspired by her as well, Mika.”

“We’ll see.”

They would see what them found about Rikako in a gruesome way.

Kagami wanted to prove Mika that Oryo Rikako was inspiring but ended up being the next victim who was dismembered and used as a monument.

As for Mika, what she found about the goddess of their school did not make her cringing this time.

Rather, it caused the drastically miserable turn of events in her life. Her instinct of being scared of Rikako’s emotionless eyes was actually the sign that she should keep her friends away from that senior or theirs. Rikako was someone with a very cloudy Psycho-Pass. She was a psychotic murderer who had this insane addiction to turn her victims into her artworks.

It was incomprehensible for Mika who grew in a normal childhood and a family with mental beauty. Her life was smooth and her intelligence would give her a promising future but it just took one ridiculously shared fate with Rikako and…

It was all gone. She lost Kagami as well in the midst of Yoshika’s disappearance.

How could the psycho… How dare she turned her innocent friends into dismembered corpses mercilessly.

Mika hardly cried because she did not have the reason to do so. But, at a certain night which was the first time she learned about Kagami’s death, it was pouring.

She could not care less with how wet and sticky her school uniform was as she stared blankly at the garbage disposable facility. It was where the police officers found Kagami’s and Yoshika’s bodies.

_Kagami… Yoshika…_

She did not know for how long she was still like a statue on her spot until there was a certain enforcer, while holding an umbrella, shielding her from the pouring rain.

She was startled when she could feel a warm presence from an adult. A sad smile was plastered on her usually poker face as they met eyes.

“I take that you’re close to the victims?” The enforcer, Kunizuka Yayoi asked her. She was taller than her and had a great physique which something that anyone would expect a person who chased down criminals.

“It… it’s my fault…” She confessed right away. “I… I was the one who suggested her to… to meet Rikako Oryo. If only I wasn’t being stupid… If only I didn’t let her go alone… I did notice something off about Rikako Oryo but… but I…”

She was sure that Yayoi did not need her to add more. Instead, the black-haired woman trapped Mika’s small frame into her embrace, silently and patiently offered her a comfort. 

“Cry while you can or your Hue will get cloudy.”

And she did. Her Psycho-Pass had to be clear or else, there was no reason at all to forgive herself. 

* * *

**“Congratulations,** Mika-chan! You nailed them all.”

“700 points? That’s brilliant of you! As expected from Shimotsuki Mika.”

“Are you sure you want to be an inspector? I mean, you’re really capable other options like Ministry of Technology and Ministry of Economy. Why bother to risk your life and catch bad people? That’s a waste.”

_I am not obliged to answer that, right? It’s what the perfect Sybil system had decided for me so you don’t have any right to flap your gums._

If only she could answer that but Mika was wise enough not to let her bitter emotions got the better of her. She ended up answering her friends and teachers’ questions as polite as possible.

Or should she say, as quick as possible since she had other and more important destination to drop by? She just got her job aptitude result and she could not wait any longer to share the good news with the people.

As her steps finally reached the graves, she would ensure that how the people’s lives were ended brutally did not cloud her mind anymore. She wanted to be an inspector and cloudy Psycho-Pass should never make it to her head.

“It’s been a long time, right?” She said, eyes shifted towards both Kagami Kawarazaki and Yoshika Okubo’s graves. “If it’s not because I had to stay in the dorm even after what happened, I would visit you both more frequently. I hope you guys are not lonely.”

The friction between her fingers and her handphone dragged her mind to the main reason why she was there instead of coming home straight away. “Ah, I almost forgot.”

She raised the gadget before a proud smile spread over her thin lips. “Guess what? I got the top place in our batch. 700 points. Is that great? I mean, yeah. That’s expected given how smart I am.”

Lasting just for a few seconds, the complacent smile turned into a straight line. Sadness quickly flowed in her veins as she was hit again by the cruel reality.

No matter how cheerful and nonchalant she tried to put her words, both Kagami and Yoshika would not be alive again. They would not congratulate her, not enveloping her into their playful embraces.

“No, I am not crying, you idiot,” she said as tears quickly streamed down her face. Both hands quickly wiped them. “Seriously, I don’t want to consume more pills. It’s not that healthy if you overdose.”

Seconds passed and with how no one watched or waited for her, she took her time to calm down.

“I swear that once I officially become an inspector, I will work hard for victims like you. I will catch those bastards because I don’t want more people to suffer. That’s my eternal promise.”

* * *

**_“Shepherd 2, you’re going too fast. Where are you?”_ **

**_“I can’t find Hound 4. Sasayama… What’s going on? Where did he go?”_ **

**_“Calm down, Kougami! Things are getting out of control. You have to return this instant!”_ **

**_“I have to find him… Sasayama?”_ **

**_“Shepherd 2, can you hear me? Shepherd 2!?”_ **

Ginoza never wanted it to happen. He really did but the moment where Kougami lost his position as an inspector and sanity had frequently appeared as his nightmare lately, much to his anger.

**_“It’s true that so far, there is no scientific evidence for a causal relationship between genes and Crime Coefficients. But there is no evidence to show otherwise either.”_ **

This time it was Chief Kasei’s monotone voice echoed in his ears even there was no way she was around to visit him. He was a disgrace for MWPSB after all.

**_“I hope that you won’t make the same mistake as your father.”_ **

He did follow his father’s path down to his prosthetic arm.

**_“I hope it from the bottom of my heart.”_ **

But, it was not a mistake. Why would the chief paraphrase in such way? Why would she hope it from the bottom of her heart?

Months passed but Ginoza showed poor recovery. His body and mental state still took his father’s death harshly. Sometimes, he did not even know what the date was. His days in the care centre had gone too fast even he did not do anything. It only took his mind and memory, kept recalling how his late father was dead from protecting the useless whiny him and he was all done for. It was countless how many times the therapists had to rush to his room as his Hue turned so cloudy without himself realizing it. His body grew tired of being drugged up to the eyeballs.

“Good morning! It’s time to get up. Now, to all latent criminals, be sure to keep working on purifying your Hue!”

And the fact he woke up with soreness, still spinning head and heavy eyes just told him right away that they had to make him passed out again yesterday.

“Be sure to keep working on purifying your Hue!”

The sound of the robotic alarm echoed but before the voice wanted to be repetitive with the same encouraging lines, Ginoza could hear more deafening sounds that he had grown to get accustomed to. 

Somebody hit his head with the wall… Another patient yelled, probably having a very bad dream. The others were probably doodling who-knows-what on the wall. Previously, he just witnessed such realities when he and Kougami had to debrief Kagari and Yayoi about their aptitudes as an enforcer. At that time, it was unpleasant to watch them even they were separated by a strong glass wall but now…

It was pathetic that his luck was just as them; prisoned in the fully white room and might end up violent or nonsensical like them.

No, he had to purify his Hue; just like how that cheerful and robotic announcement encouraged them every single day.

* * *

**Thanks** to Inspector Aoyanagi Risa from Division 2, he just found that he still could smile.

She also met him because he heard good news about his dog, Dime. His plants were always well-cared by the inspector. He could not simply trust anyone to look after them.

“He is a well-behaved dog,” Risa remarked, showing the dog’s pictures from her communicator. “Well, of course he’s whining sometimes. Probably, he misses you a lot.”

Ginoza resisted his hand from putting it on the glass wall between them. He wanted to stroke the part where Dime’s picture was shown but he did not want to seek any sympathetic stare from the inspector. Akane’s and Kougami’s were more than enough.

Speaking of which, they did not visit him this week which was totally a relief.

“How’s the prosthetic arm? Can get used of it already?” Her words made him realized right away that she was anticipating him to move or any sorts of gestures that showed that he was just not a living doll.

_Oh, let’s see… I spent most of my time mourning for my late father and resent how stupid I was for mistreating him until his last breath. Here, I have fainted and slept a lot so I don’t really remember using this fake arm…_

“Everything is all right,” Ginoza blurted out as he absent-mindedly lifted his prosthetic arm. “It was indeed uncomfortable at first.”

Risa decided that it was the time for her to genuinely speak up. “Look, Ginoza-kun. You have to be strong and healthy again, okay? Dime is waiting for you and in Division 1, they even have the enforcer position for you because you can’t just waste your skills like this.”

“My skills? Like what?”

“Ginoza-kun…” With how disapproving but caring her voice was, Ginoza flinched as if she just slapped him and forced him to stop being melancholic when it was his ‘fault’ that Masaoka was dead. His skinny frame shrank, together with how he stared at nothing in particular.

 _Your son is still struggling, Masaoka-san. What should I do?_ Risa thought. Her attention was especially drawn to Ginoza’s green eyes which were his prominent similarity with Masaoka. _His eyes don’t even look as bright as yours when they literally look the same._

“I am sorry. Things have been rough and I can’t remember what am I am blurting out either…”

“They drugged you a lot, didn’t you?” Risa said with a bitter smile that Ginoza would hate to receive if it was anybody else. For Risa, it was an exception.

Why she was an exception, again? Was it because she was not there when he burst into tears pathetically while pleading with Masaoka’s destroyed body? Was it because he never lashed out at her like how he did it with Akane, Kougami, Kagari and Masaoka?

“Not really,” he answered just because he was not sure. For certain, Ginoza would feel light, drowsy and tired most of the time. Why did whatever medication he was on affect him this much? 

“You’re getting thinner, Ginoza-kun. You’re always thin for your height but now, you’re…”

“I guess I want to look the same as you. Tall and thin. Look, our hair styles are similar. They are uneven cut.”

Risa chuckled in disbelief at how swift he tried to change their conversation topic. “They’re not the same, you idiot. Mine is a trend. Yours is just a definition of a typical stick-in-the-mud.” 

Since when he learned how to brush questions aside? Normally, he was frank. It was not hard to read what he had in his mind.

But now, Ginoza might joke around but his laugh, his complexion, the lights and shadows in his eyes… they were empty.

“Can’t agree more with that,” the man said with melodious chuckles. Usually, Ginoza would annoy the heck of her whenever he was in a textbook mood but now, all she wanted from him was genuine smiles and laughter.

She did care about him after all. 

“I will cut your hair once you are discharged. Maybe a neat hairstyle will motivate you to have a fresh start, Ginoza-kun.”

_A fresh start, huh?_

“My pleasure.” 

* * *

**“Please** let Ginoza-san’s dog live with him after he becomes an enforcer,” Akane said, eyes were forced to look at straight at Chief Kasei who was sitting at her desk. “I know enforcers aren’t allowed to keep pets with them but I hope…”

“He sure still has people care about him despite his unlikeable attitude,” Chief Kasei remarked with an unreadable expression. “First, it’s Inspector Aoyanagi from Division 2 and now, it’s you.”

_What? Aoyanagi-san already…_

“How is Ginoza-kun doing?” Chief Kasei asked. “Has he adjusted well with his recovery?”

The sharp and experienced her could sense the answer from Akane’s gestures even before she heard it from the inspector but…

There was no fun if she could guess and read everything, right? It would be more accurate if she could dig deep into Akane’s thought about Ginoza’s demotion. 

“I believe he’ll be fine. Facing a family member’s death is something that anyone will find the hard time to recover so…”

“I don’t ask for what you believe, Inspector Tsunemori,” the old woman cut her short, almost losing her coolness right away. Even her talking manner was still calm, but her overall aura and the way her voice turned slightly harsher was intimidating for Akane who had little experience when it comes to facing the higher-ups as an inspector. She had no choices but to gain it on her own from now on. After Ginoza’s demotion, it was bound that she would take over everything from scratch. “I simply ask the facts. Something that you look from him, something you hear from him or his therapists or something more accurate like his Crime Coefficient…”

“He isn’t stable yet. So far, I couldn’t even bring out the enforcer position because his Hue would suddenly get cloudier.”

Hearing about someone was not the same with really facing and dealing with someone. Akane knew that much. She knew Chief Kasei was a respected chief, ruling Public Safety Bureau efficiently but that was it. Her personal background was a mystery. Ginoza himself did not talk much about the chief which added more reasons why Akane had to be well-prepared to be questioned sternly and professionally like this.

“I see. Should we offer the position to someone else who is more mentally-stable then? If he still can’t manage his Hue even after what happened…”

“He can manage it!” Akane could not care less about where did she gain the courage to raise her voice, let alone to the chief who seemed to show no sympathy to an elite inspector who always tried his best and worked for years. “I know it’s just my belief but…”

“Huh, I can see that you’re desperate to keep Ginoza-kun in your division at any cost. You just can’t see him die alone in the centre, right?” For some reason, Kasei observed her from head to toe. “Why? I thought that he’s too textbook. I thought that you’re more lenient to Enforcer Kougami’s side? That’s why you talked back to him when he cared too much about your Hue?”

“Wait, how do you…”

“Since you’re still oblivious, let me tell you, Inspector Tsunemori,” Chief Kasei left her comfortable position before sitting straight to fully face the young inspector. “You inspectors had a tough job. You have to keep the public in order, lead the enforcers who are latent criminals as well and also handle administrative works. You function as Sybil’s trained eyes and to make sure that you don’t have any ‘error’ or sorts which affects Sybil’s perfect system, I have to monitor all of you, including how you judge the criminals and overall surrounding. So far, what can I see is you slowly follow two of your enforcers’ paths despite Ginoza-kun’s warning. You know what, inspector? Despite your clearly cluelessness and stubbornness, Ginoza-kun still complimented you as an excellent inspector who would improve greatly in no time. I hope you don’t disappoint him, inspector.”

All Akane could do externally was nodding in defeat while her heart…

_I never know that Ginoza-san complimented me like that. He criticized me all the time so I never noticed it._

* * *

**“Are** you okay, inspector?” Akane was absent-mindedly heading to her office when out of the blue, someone put something cold against her cheek. She flinched as she turned around. Kougami’s face with a smirk appeared in her sight. For how long he had been waiting around the corridor, she did not know. 

At this moment, all she loved and hoped to see from Kougami was his smile which was cheeky but comforting. It was a relief for her to see him at least smirking as he still placed the cold soft drink against her cheek. His other hand was also holding another soft drink which she assumed that it was his.

“Kougami-san…” she instantly took the drink first from him before gulping it down. Chief Kasei might have the ability to indirectly suck all water out of her body because now only realized how parched she was. “Thank you.”

“I never say that it is yours,” the enforcer said with a straight face, causing the inspector to spray the drink in surprise.

“Oh, my… you’re really surprised. It was supposed to be a joke,” Kougami remarked flatly as he took out his handkerchief for her. His voice might be emotionless but he really did want to show some concerns over Akane’s throat, especially when she was still coughing. 

“It’s… it’s because your jokes are bad! Not to mention your face, Kougami-san… Is there anybody ever said to you that you look like a hungry lion whenever you pull a straight face?” Akane said with a glare. As she tried to wipe her mouth with her bare hand and ignore his handkerchief, he still had it lifted to her eye level.

“Take it as my apology. Come on, it’s a new one. I don’t even use it yet if you concern about germs,” Kougami said, still insisting despite his robotic voice. 

“I am not talking about germs. Using a guy’s handkerchief is surreal awkward for me.”

“As long as we work together, we will do more embarrassing things together like an undercover, your bare face when you’re tired enough to put on make-up and so on. So, with that being said,” this time, his comforting tone was in unison with a genuine smile. “You can rely on me, inspector. For anything.”

Her eyes sized up at the sudden comfort and reassurance from a ‘hungry lion’ like him. 

“I certainly cannot eavesdrop on what you have talked to Chief Kasei but if you let me guess… it’s about how you automatically become the leader of Division 1 and she plain ordered you to do a better job as one, isn’t it?”

“Well, it’s true that I haven’t done a good job so far. I bet it’s not that tough if I pull myself together…”

“It’s okay, inspector. That’s bound to happen given how dangerous our job is. Each division has two inspectors to lead and when one of them will be demoted because of their clouded Psycho-Pass, it will be hard for the other inspector,” Kougami said. “Just like how Gino had to endure it after my demotion.”

Even it was just one second, she could spot how upset his smile had become, especially after Ginoza showed no signs to return as an enforcer.

Or to be more accurate, Akane was waiting for Kougami to show some emotions when one of them dared to bring out anything about Ginoza or the late Masaoka. Everyone in the whole bureau had been cautious with them, including the blunt Yayoi and bubbly Kagari. They knew how did it to feel to lose two core members in the same division at the same time. Even they should not dwell on it too much given it was a demand from their career, they were still humans.

They had Sybil watched and monitored their Psycho-Pass like a hawk but they were still humans who could not help the feeling of despondency after losing someone. 

“Ginoza-san had to lead the team alone for three years, right?” Akane supplied. “I just learned from Kunizuka-san.”

“Yes,” Kougami said, still holding other soft drink which he was supposed to sit and drink together with Akane. 

“But for me, it is only five months and I feel the tension already. It’s been tough to handle both the team and administrative works at the same time.”

“Now, you admitted it’s tough.”

“Yes, I am not ashamed of it,” Akane said with a bright smile. “You should feel the same too. You shouldn’t feel ashamed for worrying and guilty about what happened to Ginoza-san. He’s your friend before he became your inspector. It’s natural for you to feel miserable when you saw him in that state.”

Kougami chose not to reply while his grey eyes did not meet her. The stiff response gained a heavy sigh from her before she reached up and held his arm.

“That’s why, Kougami-san…” Her eyes sized up in a newfound determination. She was glad that with her tone shifting, it made Kougami looked at her properly. “We have to ensure that Ginoza-san works with us again. He might never say it out loud but he needs you on his side to stay sane and start over.”

But, to her surprise, the former inspector shook his head, still wearing the sad smile. 

“I think Aoyanagi is a better suitor for that position,” he said softly. “If Gino is allowed to choose, I bet he would rather to work with her. Those two have a very perfect teamwork from the start. Plus, I heard that she even requested the chief to allow Gino to keep Dime with him had he agreed to be an enforcer way before than you. She even helped him putting his place together. Obviously, he relies on Aoyanagi now.”

His words shed some light on something that immediately crossed Akane’s mind. _No wonder…_

“That’s why you suddenly pulled me and hid from Ginoza-san as soon as you saw Aoyanagi-san at the centre last week?” she said softly. Kougami had to keep himself from flinching at her sudden guess but he doubted she did not notice it. “I might not know you guys for a long time but if I was Aoyanagi-san, I would definitely disagree with what you have done and told you off for giving up too soon.”

Kougami could only chuckle. Talking heart-to-heart about something deep like this with Akane was something that he did not want to grow accustomed to.

He had to draw a line and maintain their professional relationship. Making her involved in his personal life which was ruined by his cloudy Psycho-Pass was not in his list.

So, he decided to walk away, leaving her puzzled.

“Just so you know, the drink is yours, inspector. I meant to give you from the start,” he said without even stopping his pace. Instead, he chose to walk even faster because he knew what kind of response of her that he should expect next.

“Huhhh?? You and your lame jokes… Kougami-san, wait for me!”

Instead of waiting, he decided to torture her short legs which still chased after him by walking much faster.

For sure, he cared about the inspector. He did not want her to shoulder her burden alone. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He returned...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The new case in this chapter was taken from KDrama, Criminal Minds. And also, I made up Mika’s parents’ names and Kougami’s family background because I couldn’t find them anywhere. Feel free to notify me if you know the information for these two.

****Freshly**** starting the morning as an inspector of MWPSB, Mika’s brand-new life began. After observing how different she was with her uniform, her brown eyes turned to her long hair which was pulled into a loose bun.

At this moment, apart from the late Kagami and Yoshika, her mind was clouded with those officers who had left a great impression on her. It was when her friends’ murder case was still under investigation that two of them caught her interest and inspired her.

The first one was an inspector who was most probably the leader of their team since he was in charge of the rest at that time. He was a strict man who did not tolerate any clumsiness or silly mistakes from his underlings but for her, he was charismatic and charming.

The second one was a female enforcer who had comforted her when Kagami’s and Yoshika’s mutilated bodies were first discovered. Her advice of Mika should cry to save her Psycho-Pass from being clouded was the reason why she had grown stronger after that. It was good to cry but she should not mourn her friends’ death for too long.

It was the time for her to show the sick criminal who would win this war at the end of the day.

_But, I will report to Inspector Tsunemori Akane. I wonder what kind of senior she is…_

Mika walked out of her room, going straight to downstairs. As expected, her parents were already at the dining table. Her father, Shimotsuki Hideji, an officer from Ministry of Economy was leisurely drinking his tea while reading an online newspaper from his tablet. Her mother, Mari was serving a plate of rice for each of them as bright as she usually was. Judging from how ‘festive’ the table had become with white rice, natto, fried egg and other side dishes, Mari could not care less to celebrate her only child’s success way too open even it did not gain approval from her pessimistic husband.

“Ah, my daughter is here,” Mari’s brown eyes shone so bright as she turned and saw her daughter, all neatly dressed up. Mika might consider pulling an overdramatic reaction which was as energetic as her mother had her father not been so uptight in the morning. Come, come. Let me see you closer.”

Mika put her handbag on the table before slowly approaching her smiling mother. Glancing nervously at her father even she had always argued with him about her life in general, Mika almost missed how proud her mother looked as she scanned her appearance.

“As expected, my daughter is always beautiful no matter what kind of outfit she puts on!”

“She has chosen her own path so she has to be at least presentable in front of us,” Hideji remarked, still glued his eyes on his tablet even the daughter of the house was convinced that the old man was ready from the start to emit his sarcasm around the house. “To prove us that we’re wrong.”

“Dad, please. I thought we’re done talking about this,” still in Mari’s loose embrace, she added, “Sybil system had decided that I am cut out for this job.”

“Sybil system also decided that there are other job aptitudes for an excellent student like you,” this time her father put down the tablet, staring seriously at her. He could not care less with how solemn their breakfast moment would be when all he wanted was to push his opinion into Mika.

“The employment standard for this job is high, Dad. I don’t have a choice but to be excellent.”

“That means you _chose_ to be a police officer right from the start. So, what’s the use of us sending you to Oso Academy if you decided to choose a way different path? We sent you to the school because we want to see your Psycho-Pass stay clear but now, you’re working for a job that will make your Hue cloud easily. Are you out of your mind, Shimotsuki Mika?”

“Like you said, it’s you who sent me up there. Thanks to that horrible experience and decision, my Psycho-Pass was almost clouded. It’s fortunate that an officer from MWPSB had comforted me and inspired me to fight just like them for this society. Thanks to that horrible experience and decision, I have learned to decide on my own about what should I do after graduating instead of getting married right away and give you grandchildren,” Mika said.

“What did you say?”

“Both of you, shall we have a peaceful breakfast instead of arguing about what Mika would do for her life?” Mari said, smiling softly at the two family members who were looking daggers at each other. This moment was typical but not upsetting for her. It was not like they would strangle each other at any moment. “Come on, Mika. Have your breakfast. I even packed up your lunchbox.”

“Thank you so much, mum,” Mika exclaimed cutely as she took her seat. If her father decided to be hostile, it was fine. She still had her mother who would take her side.

“Being a police officer is going to be arduous. She will rarely come home early so breakfast time is the only moment where I can talk into my daughter properly,” Hideji pressed. He did not even bother to conceal how much he wanted to brainwash Mika instead of convincing or discussing with her. “Plus, it’s still early. I bet she woke up this early because she wanted to justify something to me.”

Mika might resemble her mother but the people around them knew how much her personality matched up her father. They would be the greatest and most intimidating combo had they been on the same page. Yet, since her friends’ death, her goal was to defeat the criminals which also defeated Hideji’s principle; keeping her safe from the not-so-safe world and lived a normal life which was getting married early.

Since then, their goals and point-of-views clashed with each other. Hideji was stubborn which also made Mika as stubborn.

“You’re right, Dad. I know I already disappointed you with my job. But, I promise you, I will make you proud someday. I’ll be the inspector who have her cases closed more than anyone could succeed.”

If he was the same father who always prioritized her over everything else in his life, Hideji should see her fiery determination as she spoke.

“Don’t forget to bring a nice man while you’re at it. You said those who are admitted in MWPSB are excellent students like you so when the right time comes, make sure to bring a good boyfriend,” the man’s voice was flat but it managed to make his wife sighed heavily. So much for wanting to have a normal but hearty breakfast.

All Mika could do was smiling. She was so into her goal which was bringing down criminals but Hideji decided to be more cynical by demanding a man who would be her partner. As expected, her father still tried to push his principle into her head. That was why she was sent to Oso Academy; keeping her Psycho-Pass clear and once she became an adult, she would find a life partner for her.

But, she was still young. Was it that necessary to make a fuss about marriage? She already knew what she wanted to achieve and she did not need any partner for that.

* * *

****“I**** am sorry, Inspector Tsunemori. Chief Kasei just approved me to bring back Ginoza-kun to the headquarters. Really, I don’t have any ill intention to take away your enforcer,” Akane was so used to see the professional and elegant Risa that she could not help but blink at her device as the woman kept apologizing to her.

“It’s okay, Aoyanagi-san. Chief Kasei must approve it because Ginoza-san personally requested it, right?” Akane asked even the answer was obvious. Escorting an enforcer should be done by the inspector from the same division but for Ginoza, it was Risa who ended up bringing the man out of the care centre.

Sooner or later, she would talk to Ginoza. From the way he had always been indifferent to her and Kougami every time they paid a visit, he must have something stacked up inside.

“Yes, that’s what I was informed,” Risa said, shoulders slowly dropped as she sighed heavily. Akane wondered just where was Risa at the moment as all she could tell was the inspector was in her car and stopped by somewhere. There was no way the inspector could talk to Akane freely without Ginoza around. “Even wasn’t it fishy for you, Tsunemori? I mean, he’s now an enforcer so he basically has limited options, let alone to choose which inspector who would bring him back to the headquarters.’

 _Indeed. That’s what Kougami-san has pointed out,_ Akane thought. She averted her gaze at Kougami who was talking with Yayoi about their recent case. Including Kagari which was surprisingly serious, three of them were too focused on Yayoi’s computer screen to care about Risa’s call.

“Well, I guess we can say that Chief Kasei has a soft spot for Ginoza-san at the moment since Ginoza-san was a senior inspector.”

“Well, let’s hope for that even that’s the first time I have heard of Chief Kasei being that lenient.”

After ending the call with a heavy sigh, Akane left her seat and joined others.

“So, do you find any trace of the victim?” she asked, drawing all eyes to her before Yayoi simply shaking her head.

The current case they were working on was about a girl who was abducted when she was studying in her school library. Kasahara Aimi, a university student in her 20s was reported missing by her friends since she never returned after a toilet break. The Street scanners did not detect anyone with high crime coefficient, much to everyone’s chagrin.

“Man, what a day when we’re supposed to celebrate Gino-san’s return. I even wanted to prepare a lot of dishes for him. Kou-chan must be frustrated as well,” Kagari exclaimed as if that Kou-chan was someone from other division and not Kougami who was just standing next to him, immediately had his blue eyes sized up.

“What? Me? Where did that come from? It’s you who’re over excited when Tsunemori informed us about Gino!”

“Oh, come on, Kou-chan. Do you really want to live in denial for good? Akane-chan might not say it out loud but the rest of us could see how you were affected when Gino-san was demoted!”

“Cut it out, you guys,” Yayoi said, trying hard not to smack their heads in annoyance. They were not exactly that loud but according to her experience, they would be in any second. “We’ll pretend that it’s Shion who planned to throw a party for Ginoza-san. She would be more than willing to help.”

In the midst of the piling cases that were overwhelming sometimes especially after they lost Masaoka, Akane was happy with how improved the unit was. Yayoi; the stoic one would look after her sometimes and willingly stayed back to help her. Kagari was the same even he kept exclaiming that he was just bored.

As for Kougami, he rarely took a break which Shion had guessed it might be because he wanted to bring down Makishima as quick as possible. It was for the sake of the late Masaoka and Ginoza.

_Masaoka-san, wherever you are, I want you to know that we’ll be watching Ginoza-san from now on. Just like how earnest of you protecting him on that day._

* * *

****“We**** have contacted Kasahara’s parents. It didn’t seem like they were involved with troubles or sorts before. They’re just normal citizens with a daughter who is striving to be a dentist someday,” Kougami said, exhaling the smoke while his fingers still holding a cigarette. He and Akane were standing by the balcony, not exactly enjoying the view of the city when the criminals were still around breathed the same air.

Whenever they thought of criminals, they always had Makishima as the first one. Because of him, the dynamic of their teams had changed drastically. They lost a veteran enforcer who acted like a father for them when his own son did not acknowledge him.

They lost another inspector who would be back as an enforcer instead. How hard he would take it; they were afraid to imagine and only hope for the best.

“That’s why the parents look so innocent. My heart broke right away when they cried like that,” Akane remarked, staring emptily at the buildings.

“Trust me, inspector. You’ll face the worse and more surprising cases. Parents who ask about the criminals instead of the victims as if the criminals are their children. Parents who claim that we in MWPSB are good-for-nothing. Parents who only realize that it’s their faults that their children got abducted because they’re too busy working.”

“What about your parents?” Akane said, her voice louder than usual as her curiosity suddenly kicked in and did not take a long time to blurt out. It came from the realization that while she knew that Kougami was an inspector with Shepherd 2 codename and was demoted after Enforcer Sasayama’s death, she knew zero about his family background. “To have a smart and intuitive son like you, they must be…”

“My parents were busy working when I was still in school. They rarely had time for me so I spent my time in trying sorts of martial arts until I had my interest in _silat_.”

His words were natural as if he was talking about the weather. It might be because no matter how distant his relationship was with his parents, a man in his late 20s like Kougami might not bother with it anymore which was why Akane let it slide. She did not wanted to push more answers from the enforcer.

But, it never made Akane felt less guilty. She should just zip her mouth from spitting such personal questions like that.

“ _Silat?_ Ah, the one that Sasayama-san…”

“About Kasahara parents, I must say that they reminded me of Gino. Back then, he would be the most sensitive person if we encountered cases like this one. I bet those loving and hopeless parents reminded him of his mother. You don’t have any idea how happy he was when the higher up allowed his mother to be treated in their house due to his position as an inspector. Had it been for everyone else, one who suffers from eustress deficiency will be taken to a medical institution.”

Instead of his genuine confession which made him questioned himself why on earth he opened up easily to Akane, the back of his head received a smack from the inspector.

“Auch! What was that, inspector!?” The fact that he was often injured did not make Akane’s sudden attack felt less painful.

“Ginoza-san is on his way with Aoyanagi-san. If he’s late, most probably he’s visiting Masaoka-san’s grave,” Akane said with a poker face before she made her way inside. For a second, Kougami thought that the inspector was possessed by a random entity or else, the real and gentle Akane did not dare to hit a fly.

“Wait… what? What does that have to do with you suddenly smacking my head?” Instead of following her, the enforcer was staying still on his spot.

“I am just joking. Is it that lame?” Akane turned, imitating Kougami’s typical smirk before leaving him stunned.

_Whenever we talk, you always end up talking about Ginoza-san. Why don’t you just approach him first like a normal friend instead of hiding and holding up everything, Kougami-san?_

* * *

****Green**** eyes stared at the grave wordlessly for God knew how long. After six months, Ginoza was finally discharged. After six months, despite he was back to the outside world, his therapist had shocked him; pushing a certain terrible idea into his head.

“Your average crime coefficient is 140. I am sorry to say Ginoza-san but with how your therapies have worked so far, there is no chance for recovery.”

It was shocking but he was totally fine with that. No chance for recovery? It was not like he needed it in the first place.

“Hi, it’s been a while,” he said, mentally smacking himself for letting his mind wandering off when he was supposed to greet his late father. “How are you… Dad?”

The fact that how easy for the word to slip out of his tongue when all he did when Masaoka was still around was glaring or getting furious at him had stabbed his heart deep.

It was a deep stab and his lungs felt suffocated but he continued talking.

“This morning, the therapist said that my crime coefficient is still 140. There is no chance for recovery but after months, I have decided that I won’t stay in the institution doing nothing. Just like they said, being a detective is a bad job but someone has to do it.”

****_“Just so you know, Kougami is a latent criminal as well as an enforcer. He and I are cut from the same cloth so we have nothing to lose had something happened to us. Meanwhile, you’re on a different path than we’re. I truly think that’s for the best. From the bottom of my heart.”_ ** **

He closed his eyes, appreciating how his brain still could recall every single word from Masaoka. He needed it so that he would stay ‘sane’.

“At the end of the day, even after you died, I am always a terrible son in every way, didn’t I? I don’t live up to your expectation. You did tell me to take a different path. You even sacrificed your life for me.”

He did not want to keep a busy woman like Risa waiting any longer so he walked out. It was a complete silence in the car as he left with the inspector. His green eyes focused on every single thing that caught him from outside of the window as if he was just an isolated child who had seen the world for the first time.

Little did he know, Risa was studying him.

_The fact that he wanted to visit Masaoka-san’s grave as soon as he was discharged… Is that why he wanted me to escort him instead of Inspector Tsunemori?_

“You… you look much better without glasses,” Risa meant it to be random because the car was so silent and she did not want Ginoza to be spaced out in despondency again but as her comment gained a confused look from the man, she realized that her words contained the truth.

The man did look way much better without glasses.

“I mean… yeah, that’s what I meant. You look better without glasses.”

_What the hell am I saying!?_

“Thank you, I guess.”

“You’re welcome. You don’t want to make a new one? We can stop by…”

“Nah, that’s fine. I don’t mind how I look anymore. You already know that the glasses are just for show.”

_Yeah, I do. Masaoka-san even said that you look like the younger version of him._

They reached the headquarters, passing the curious and shocked looks around them with Ginoza’s comeback, especially with how drastic he looked like. Much thinner and paler.

“People are not that amused to see me, right?” The man chuckled. It was genuine as if he was watching a sitcom.

“No. It’s just you look much more handsome when you don’t wear glasses,” the frustrated Risa could not help but blurting out what she could come up instantly.

“What?”

The elevator which Ginoza passed was open just in time. A small girl stormed out of the elevator which caused her to bump into the man. A squeak followed but before the girl could fall down and twist her ankle from wearing heels, Ginoza was faster to catch her.

 _Owh, what the heck is this? A 2000s movie? A man and a woman are embracing each other at a corridor like this,_ Risa cocked her eyebrow as she was the only witness who saw Ginoza and the young woman who she never saw around the headquarters were staring at each other.

Mika, the one who was held by Ginoza stunned. She was aware that the tall stranger was still holding her waist to keep her legs to give up but she was more aware as she saw deep into the green eyes who were staring back at her.

 _This man has such beautiful eyes,_ Mika thought before something conveniently registered in her mind. She was positive that she had seen such eyes somewhere in Oso Academy…

“Owh, I am sorry,” Ginoza who snapped back earlier than the puzzled woman in his arms quickly released her. “Are you okay, miss?”

“Huh? Yes, yes. I am sorry too. I was rushing.”

“That’s a relief,” his smile was unfamiliar but Mika was positive that she had seen his features somewhere. “Then, excuse me.”

Ginoza was only a few steps ahead with Risa when Mika exclaimed, “Excuse me. Have we ever met somewhere?”

Both Risa and Ginoza turned, confused expression written over their faces.

“Pardon?” He asked.

“I mean, your eyes… No, I think I have met you before… well, considering I bumped into you here instead of some random public places…” she immediately felt like a bulb lit up in her head. “Could it be… you’re the inspector who investigated the murder case in Oso Academy?”

This girl was directly but innocently bringing up one of cases that reminded Ginoza of Makishima and his father right away.

At this moment, Risa was so nervous to look at Ginoza. Screw herself from a few minutes ago who randomly praising Ginoza’s new look, now she had to come up with something better to help the man.

“I…”

“Yes, yes. Now, I remember you. You patrolled our school day and night to find Oryo Rikako,” the girl exclaimed, stepped closer to Ginoza as her brown eyes shone brighter in happiness. Much to their surprise, she bowed as she supplied, “nice to meet you, inspector. I am Shimotsuki Mika, a rookie inspector who will work here from now on. It’s a pleasure to meet you and you must be…”

“Inspector Aoyanagi Risa from Division 2,” Ginoza answered before Mika could finish her question.

“Ah, both of you are my seniors then. Nice to meet you, _senpai_ ,” she said.

_Senpai… inspector…_

_If she’s from Oso Academy last year, that means… she’s what? 18? And she just said that she’s an inspector just now, right?_

“The victims, Kagami and Yoshika are my friends,” she said, bitter smile was the only way to show them how the case had affected her greatly but she had recovered from the deep pain that the death had caused. “So, I want to thank you and your team properly for solving the case.”

“The culprit is still on the loose, though,” Ginoza said. Too slow and flat but that made Risa more bothered and wanted to run away from this suffocating situation as quick as possible.

“Yes, I know. That’s why I am here. I want to defeat them with my own hands. I want to defeat such criminals who must be eliminated for good. I look forward to working with you, _senpai,_ ” while she bowed again, a small smile escaped from Ginoza’s lips. She reminded her of himself back when he was a rookie.In fact, they were so similar, just from the way she put her words. “By the way, which division are you both from? I am…”

“Ginoza-kun, I believe the chief must be waiting for us,” Risa interrupted, loosely holding Ginoza’s arm. “I am sorry, Inspector Shimotsuki. We’re running late. We’ll see you next time, okay? Let’s go, Ginoza-kun.”

“Ah, yes… I’ll see you around then,” Ginoza said quickly bowing slightly before he and Risa left the area.

Seconds passed and Mika could not help but staring at where the friends disappeared.

_Are they couples? Why did she look like she isn’t pleased with how I talked to him? Wait, come to think of it, his name is Ginoza-san, right? Inspector Ginoza._

* * *

****Screams**** and pleading from a young girl as she struggled to escape herself from the cage had gained no sympathy from those who captured her. Even she was young and it had been two days since she was made as a hostage for undefined motive, she could recognize what kind of culprits they were.

Just plain brutal, destructive and heartless. One of them was a long white-haired man with a skinny figure but he kept spitting so many Philosophy stuff that made him sounded more twisted than his simple appearance. The other one was a tall and sturdy man with one of his eyes had two colors. They talked casually about books and technology as if they were a professor and a specialist. Not some crazy maniacs who kidnapped an innocent girl at a university library.

“The news about her has been released. MWPSB had run an investigation to find her,” one of them, Choe Gu Sung remarked with amusement which added up how he was cruel because it was abnormal.

It was abnormal how he was amused with the fact that the police officers knew what they did to her. Logically speaking, the criminals were supposed to pray for their lives that their wrongdoings were never smelled in the first place.

But, for them, it was more thrilling to make the bureau chased them down.

“Let them be. It’s not like they knew how to learn after what happened to the old enforcer,” Makishima Shogo, the other guy remarked, paying no heed to Aimi’s struggling from the ropes that encircled her slim body. The only bright side was they never hurt her.

“Speaking of which, why did we drag this girl into your plan? Don’t you think kidnapping a random girl just to provoke Sybil is too simple? We should start a strike, missile or something,” Gu Sung said, observing the girl from his sofa. He thought that when Makishima wanted them to hide in the abandoned underground parking lot, he wanted to torture the girl maliciously right away and left her body here. All kinds of sharp weapons were around them and arranged in order but they remained useless so far.

“Hm… Before we start to be serious again and launch a strike or something, we should do a warm-up again. Other than Kougami Shinya, Inspector Ginoza Nobuchika was also demoted because of me.”

“Then?”

“And the dead enforcer is his father, apparently. I might touch a raw nerve among them.”

He smiled but his right-man did not fully understand him. Instead, he could spot how familiar the way the man looked at the trembling girl in the cage while sitting in a relaxed fashion.

Someone would be dead meat tonight. She was not going to be solely abducted. He should know it. Once one learned Makishima’s vicious side, there was no way to escape freely but there were options.

Be in cahoots with him or getting killed. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of Mika’s lines was taken from Hermione’s lines (Harry Potter movie). Nowadays, I am not hardworking enough to be descriptive with my writing so I am sorry for this lazy chapter.

****Mika’s**** first impression of her senior was…

Akane was too young. Mika was convinced that she might be the first and last minor who was hired to be part of MWPSB but…

Akane might not be a minor as well, right? What happened to her senior? Why would a seemed-to-be green inspector like her was given a tough responsibility to lead Division 1 with…

Those kind of enforcers…

“Nice to meet you, Inspector Shimotsuki. I am Inspector Tsunemori Akane and I am in charge of Division 1.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Mika nodded. The tension that had towered over her frame slowly disappeared when Akane curved in a friendly smile to her.

Instead, the tension was quickly replaced by hesitance.

Was she really capable?

“Let me show your desk and our teammates,” Akane said, immediately leading Mika deeper to their office.

The closer they got to two men who had gathered around a certain woman at her desk, the more sceptical Mika found herself. Especially when the view of an enforcer with a funky look, brown hair and cheeky eyes was the first person she could see.

“Listen, guys,” with Akane’s voice turned louder to draw their attention, the three enforcers turned to see her in a slight surprise which was surprising. It showed that they were too focused on whatever case they were on.

That was when Mika’s eyes were drawn to the only female enforcer who was there for her when she was broken. The only one who offered her warm embrace when Mika was not only soaked but would crush in despair after learning about her friends’ gruesome death.

Kunizuka Yayoi. They immediately exchanged a small smile but she could sense how Yayoi was proud of her to stand and breathe in the same workspace with her. She might not expect that the girl in tears would choose and be qualified to be an inspector who would defeat those people who were as psychotic as Oryo Rikako.

Or maybe worse than the murderer.

Yayoi’s calm smile was soothing enough. Her heart bloomed as she realized that Yayoi remembered her.

“Woahh, another cutie,” Kagari exclaimed as Mika was static on her spot even he was introduced by Akane. The enforcer had always been loud and could not stand awkward vibes whenever a newbie was introduced. “With this, whichever team I end up in was no longer a concern. We have two cute inspectors to work for.”

“Cut it out, Kagari. You scare her,” Kougami, another enforcer with a scary look and spiky black hair remarked.

 _No, I am not scared. I am disgusted,_ Mika mocked in her head. Maybe Kagari was a typical guy who thought he could be friendly and flirtatious to a young girl like her but Mika never approved such an approach no matter from whom she got.

But…

“This is Kougami Shinya, Hound 3,” Akane said, gesturing at the spiky-haired man. Unlike Kagari, Kougami’s eyes were empty as he looked at Mika. No welcoming smile on his tight face which stroke something in her, especially when could see how he was way older than the bubbly Kagari.

_What’s with that look? Why it seems to me that this guy is looking down on me just because I am small and young? Don’t tell me he also bullied Tsunemori senpai just because she’s just like me?_

“And this is Kunizuka Yayoi, Hound 2,” Akane said, pointing out at the only person who could indirectly guarantee Mika that her job could get better.

Both women smiled and nodded at each other.

“It’s nice to see you again, Mika-chan,” Yayoi said softly; something that Kagari would never expect from a scary girl like her.

“Nice to meet you and glad to be in the same unit with you,” Mika said softly.

“Wait, you know her?” Kagari said which was unclear to everyone whom he was asking the question to.

“We met during Oso Academy case. She’s…” It felt like Yayoi regretted that she decided to use her bluntness in a situation like this.

In a situation where she was not sure either Mika could fully heal her trauma after facing her friends’ death or vice versa. She should be careful with her words.

“I am the victims’ close friend,” Mika said, drawing concealed shock from the rest including Kougami even his was more subtle. The memory of murder was like something tight and suffocating in her chest which she did not have a choice but to carry it around. But, there was no way she would show around what she had truly felt to just anyone. She was now an inspector, not a crybaby. “It’s okay, Yayoi-san. I am all fine. I am here as an inspector who will vanish those latent criminals off the face of the earth.”

It was blunt and cold. Maybe the fact that she was too young and oblivious so she did not notice that the latent criminals who she talked about included the enforcers.

Noticing the instantly icy vibes from the new inspector, Akane who managed to share a certain look with Kougami immediately interposed, “speaking of the enforcers, we have one more who will join us tomorrow. He might be new as an enforcer but he was already experienced in this field. You can count on all of them including this person.”

But, Mika was not the person who easily bought sweet words that easily. Noticing the hesitance in Akane’s words made her curious right away. “I am sorry but I don’t understand, _senpai._ How’s that he’s a new enforcer but he is already experienced in this field? How’s that possible?”

“He was an inspector,” Kougami answered her from his seat. “He was the chief of this unit but demoted after a certain accident.”

Mika was not curious about that certain accident at all since her head was busy with the fact that…

_How weak. How come he called himself a chief if he was not strong enough to manage his Psycho-Pass? Now, I got it! It’s not that Tsunemori senpai is competent enough to be the chief from the start. She used to have her superior before the superior decided to be emotional and demoted._

As for Kougami, he knew it was too early to assume but…

_The way she looked at us, the enforcers… it’s the same with Gino’s…_

* * *

****“You**** don’t have to escort me all the way here, you know. CCTVs and scanners are everywhere so there is no way I can escape even I don’t want to,” Ginoza said, eyeing Risa who for some reason did not want to leave his side even they already reached the enforcers’ quarters.

It was not like he despised it. He welcomed her thoughtful gesture with an open heart but what about her workload other than accompanying an enforcer who was never her subordinate in the first place?

“That’s okay, Ginoza-kun,” she said. “You might not notice it but I have checked with Shisui from time to time. She will notify me as soon as possible had we have something urgent comes up.”

“Okay, if you say so,” the guy said nonchalantly. Unlike his encounter with a certain young inspector which reminded of his old days, he was so calm like he was there to patrol and not about to see his new home.

A home which was like a prison. A home which was not out of his choice. Rather, it symbolized how starting from now on, he was like a bird in a cage.

_I wonder what he really felt to hear what the newbie said about him but…_

_No matter how calm he looked, there is no way I can ask about that right away._

As soon as the door was open, another woman decided to be the second person who threw herself into Ginoza’s arms.

This time, she had a blonde hair and slender body with a tight red dress and the most noticeable one was…

She had intended it from the start. Her arms enveloped Ginoza’s tall frame affectionately with a bright smile on her pretty face.

“Karanomori?” Ginoza exclaimed. It was shocking enough that he was literally being pounced on for two times in one day.

“You can call me Shion like Shinya-kun does, Ginoza-kun!” Their analyst, Shion said chummily. She loosened her embrace and sharing eye contact with the puzzled green eyes. “Oh, my… your glasses…”

“Oh, my sight is fine in the first place and it was destroyed on that day so, yeah…” he said, completely loosing his touch around the woman’s waist. Come to think of it, it was always Shion who initiated any kind of body contact especially when she pestered him to accompany her for a shopping but Ginoza never returned it. At that time, he was too busy being annoyed at the fact that the analyst always took much time to shop.

“I see… how are you doing by the way?” Shion’s hand rested on Ginoza’s cheek. “I have a day off today and since everyone is busy with the case about an abducted girl, I think I want to tidy up your place just a little bit.”

“How do you manage to enter a place which is not yours to begin with?” Risa could not help but ask.

Deep down in her heart, she was asking because she was bothered with how Shion casually touched Ginoza. Of course, the analyst already had a lover, working in the same space as them but…

_What are you thinking again, Risa? It doesn’t change the fact that you’re just his friend. Why would you feel strange when two women had hugged him in just one day and exclaimed shits like they were so into him?_

_Wait… did I just say shits? Like… the heck? Am I angry or jealous right now? That doesn’t make sense._

“Owh… I don’t just hack something for inspectors, you know,” Shion replied casually, winking at the dubious inspector. “I am sorry, Risa-chan. I just want to help. Hope you don’t make this a big deal.”

“Sure as long as there is no next time,” Risa said. They both had a close friendship but for some reason, she felt unsettled when they had Ginoza between them.

“Thank you, sis,” the analyst said cheekily before she drew her attention back to the man. “I am glad that you decided to join us, Ginoza…”

“Gino is fine,” he said immediately. “We are no longer in a position where you’re obliged to use formality with me. If I can call you Shion, so can you.”

Risa could see how Shion concealed her sadness as she could see how coolly Ginoza had reminded her about their new relationship due to his demotion.

“But, that doesn’t make Shinya-kun is the only one who calls you Gino. I am not going to break your long friendship…”

“Just a nickname won’t change anything, Shion. It’s not like he called me Gino because he wanted to be the only one…”

“Shinya-kun is very worried about you, you know,” Shion said softly, stopping Ginoza from entering his place and ignoring her words. Akane never wanted to tell everyone how tense it was especially between Kougami and Ginoza but Shion always knew how to make the inspector tell her, thanks to her talking skills. “he might not express it much but…”

“What kind of case the division 1 has been up to?” seeing Ginoza was not curious enough to know what Kougami felt, Shion knew she had to stop bringing up the topic for that day.

“A college student’s abduction. She was kidnapped when she was studying in her school library.”

The man nodded before glancing at nothing else as he made his way into his new home.

Shion sighed heavily as she looked at Risa. Instantly, the two women knew they shared the same thought.

Kougami with his hesitance to reach out first and Ginoza with his emotionless choices.

* * *

 ** **Mika**** could not count how many times she had stroked her chest in the middle of the investigation.

After a brief introduction to Division 1 members, all of them rushed to the new crime scene. The abduction victim’s dead body was found at a parking lot of her apartment complex; all bruises on her exposed skin like her legs, face and arms. Kasahara Aimi’s position which was sitting against a wall revealed to anyone how her throat was strangled a lot and slit which ended her life right away. She lost some of her fingernails and tongue which was more reasons for her mother to bawl her eyes out while being comforted by her husband.

She could feel the pain. Mika could understand why the 40s woman wasted her energy for that when there was no way her only daughter could be alive again.

“Who found her body first, again?” Mika was dragged to reality when Kougami’s monotone voice broke the silence which engulfed the circle of division 1. The enforcer was smoking again which quickly became one of Mika’s pet peeves. How on earth he would think to pollute other people’s lungs at critical times like this? As if the mother’s heart-breaking cry was not enough.

“The mother,” Yayoi said, arms crossed over her chest as she stared at the body. Empathy was not enough. She knew it based on her experience but as she observed the bruised body from head to toe, she could not help but think.

Just how suffered the girl was before the killer decided that she was boring and better to be killed and dumped like a trash bag?

“The video that the murderer had sent… it was addressed to the mother, right?” Kougami asked again. At first glance, Mika swore people around them would have thought that the man was their chief or inspector instead since he always came up with theories about the murder right from the beginning.

While she was still grasping the full concept of the case, Akane did not seem to have anything useful in her head to let everyone know.

Akane should have led the case but it seemed like everyone in the division relied on Kougami and believed in him too much.

“Yes, for some reason,” Kagari supplied.

“And as far as we have obtained, neither her parents have enemies. We had talked to their neighbours and the victims’ friends but none of them had talked ill about the family. We can say that they are… enemy-free and likeable,” Kougami said. “The culprit didn’t even ask for ransom. He simply kidnapped and killed the girl. When they sent the video of torture, it meant they are already bored with the victim.”

“It might also mean there will be other random victims after this, right, Kou-chan?” Kagari smirked which received a nod from Kougami.

“Wait, there will be what?” Mika who no longer could stand to hear their conversation which she found them absurd immediately interposed, entering the enforcers’ circle. “Don’t just jump into conclusions like that. People are still around and you already want to cause unnecessary panic among the residents of this building?”

“No, Mika-chan. We are…”

“Call me Inspector Shimotsuki, enforcer,” Mika immediately glared at Kagari whose smile slowly faded away. “No matter how new I am, I am your superior and not your sister,” as someone who was naturally blunt like her father, Mika could not hold herself from expressing how unacceptable for an enforcer; her underling to casually address her. Yes, they could say that she was already rude on her first day but they should know from the beginning what people like them should not do to and with her. More delay would encourage unnecessary habits and she did not want them to see that they were friends.

She was an inspector and they were just hunting dogs. There was no way they could get along with her.

“Okay, inspector,” Kagari said calmly and while Mika was sceptical that the enforcer would mention her position sarcastically, she was satisfied that she could not spot any. “What are we saying was considering the victim’s family did not have enemies, the killer never contacted the parents to ask for ransom or just to let them know how their daughter was doing… we can say that the killer or killers might target more victims to trigger something bigger.”

“You’re just saying, right? Don’t tell me you already believe it?” Mika said with a tone that every single soul knew that she was belittling Kougami and Kagari. “I don’t really expect much from enforcers, to be honest. Just common senses with a range of teaspoon is more than enough.”

“Yes, we believe it and we concluded it based on _our_ common senses,” Kagari started being sarcastic and that was when it drew Akane’s attention from the parents.

“That’s why it sounded so trashy. It came from _your_ common senses,” Mika remarked, brown eyes stared back at Kagari’s which spoke insults.

“What do you have in your mind, inspector? Is there any new order for us?” Kougami who decided to be the mature one between the hot-blooded enforcer and inspector interposed with a calm voice.

“My order for you guys is to pipe down or you will cause unnecessary Psycho-hazard had you predicted something reckless and unconfirmed like that,” Mika said sternly. “As long as there is no solid evidence, don’t spill out just anything.”

“Okay, then,” Kougami said, as he walked away as far as possible from her and scanned the crime scene. Kagari followed him as he decided that avoiding her as well was the best for his focus.

 _What a pair of wild monkeys,_ she thought. She could sense how it took all for Akane to immediately ask her what happened between her and the two enforcers but the inspector could not leave the parents without offering more comfort for them.

Well, it was better that way. Mika was not in the mood to tell anyone else again how the two enforcers had managed to make her blood boil with their absurdness.

* * *

 _ ** **“It seemed like they would work days and nights to solve case. It turned out that it was not that simple. The criminals did not ask for ransom nor the family have any enemy. The daughter, Kasahara Aimi was admired by the people in the building since she is a good daughter. Simply said, she’s a mama girl, Gino,”****_ Shion’s words when he met her in her lab before he headed to division 1 office was all he could think of.

 _I know I shouldn’t feel like this but at least she died as a good child for her parents,_ he thought forlornly before something instantly snapped in his head.

 _What the heck is that?_ Ginoza smacked his head, quickly feeling ashamed for having such a feeling. Walking his way absent-mindedly but too fast, his head was full of the fact that the victim was a good daughter without noticing how people around him stared at him like he was just a clown who got lost in a bureau’s office.

He headed early since he wanted to be alone for a while in the office before facing others but he was surprised at a small figure who was staring in awe through the glass window.

_Tsunemori…_

The voice echoed from his head. He was positive for that but somehow, Akane turned as soon as he said her name. She dressed as usual with her blazer, short skirt and black stockings but unlike her visit when he was still cured, it was different. Her lips immediately spread a bright smile at him. It matched the sunshine behind her perfectly.

“Ginoza-san!” she exclaimed, quickly making her way to the new enforcer as he was still on his spot like a statue. “You’re early!”

“Yes, I am.”

_Remember, just act normal._

“You’re early too, Tsunemori.”

“Yes, I… I couldn’t sleep much lately so I thought I would just head straight to the headquarters but I was distracted by the sun. So bright and beautiful,” for a second, he thought that he was entertaining a girl in her school uniform, pointing out innocently at the bright sun through the window as if it was her first time. Just like her smile, her big eyes sized up with each word.

“With all due respect, is being dramatic to see the sun up close is your thing, Tsunemori?”

“N… no. What I mean is… I am…” she blushed, realizing how childish she must be in Ginoza’s eyes. “It shines and it heals me. It energizes me.”

Ginoza lost his small smile right away.

Stupid him. Why he did not notice the hidden meaning about the sun right away?

When in fact, in their current circumstance, Akane never managed to be an innocent girl anymore. She lost the chance as soon as Ginoza was demoted.

“Ginoza-san?” She remarked, brows furrowed as she saw him freeze.

“I am sorry, Tsunemori,” he said. It was husky but enough to make her realized what caused him to apologize out of blue. “For giving you trouble. If only I wasn’t stubborn on that day… if only…”

Something else registered in his mind before Ginoza could spill ouy all things that had been caged in his heart for six months.

_You shouldn’t vent on her. Who are you to tell anyone that it’s tough to be the current you when you weren’t grateful as an inspector? You whined, you snapped, you got jealous, you got sceptical. You reap what you sow, Nobuchika._

“Ginoza-san…” Akane might be naïve and did not be given much time to learn and pick up new experience but she was special. Akane might be naïve but not only her ever-clear Psycho-pass, she was also blessed with empathy for latent criminals which was rare for those who lived under Sybil system. The respected system had judged and gave verdict for everything fairly so why would inspectors like her should waste her time to consider that that was cruel to shoot and punish a latent criminal when they did not even commit a crime yet?

With the quality, he knew what she meant when she stared at him. Akane wanted to say that she understood him and never thought that he caused her trouble.

And yet, others like Kougami and Mika had to arrive there slightly later but still early compared to their normal working hours. The young inspector did not bother to show how much she despised to arrive in unison with the enforcer.

But, as soon as she saw Akane and an unfamiliar man who had his back facing her, Mika’s curiosity kicked in.

“ _Senpai…_ ”

“Ah, Inspector Shimotsuki,” Akane exclaimed which sent Ginoza to turn around.

The sight of the surprised Kougami and Mika caused more shock for the former inspector. For seconds, he forgot to breathe and while both of them caused his frame to be still again, Mika’s glowing eyes ended up drawing him to her instead of Kougami since they were…

Scarily beautiful.

“Inspector Ginoza-san?” Mika smiled instantly, staring at the man as if he was the only one who mattered. Her chummy exclamation sent Kougami and Akane’s hearts sunk before they glanced at each other in worry. “Here you’re. I’ve been looking for you everywhere but no one knew where you’re. I have asked around which division are you from but they never…”

“I am sorry, miss,” when Akane knew she had to think fast to break the tense that Mika never knew that she had caused it, Ginoza was faster to react. “I am not an inspector.”

“Huh? You aren’t? But during Oso Academy, everyone called you an inspector. I remember that Enforcer Kagari said that you are their chief so why aren’t you an inspector?”

“Inspector Shimotsuki…” Akane’s voice was far from being stern and demanding but it was clear for Mika that her senior was desperate to have her attention just for a few seconds from Ginoza.

Mika might be new but thanks to her naturally sharp observation, she immediately could read the atmosphere.

“Wait… don’t tell me…” Without bothering to ponder on her rudeness as she pointed at Ginoza, “You’re not an inspector. You’re an enforcer.”

Kougami clicked his tongue as he could not help himself from turning away. His urge to explode at Mika’s bluntness was one thing but he could not brace himself well enough to look at how Ginoza would totally or barely maintain his composure. The best friends might not get along well after Sasayama’s death but they were tested with the same destiny. They were an inspector before being demoted as an enforcer. Kougami never cared more about that particular destiny but Ginoza…

It meant everything for him.

At this rate, all Akane and Kougami hoped was the best.

The best for Ginoza. 


End file.
